Grounding device



H. BRAcl-ITL GnoUNDING DEVICE Filed Feb; 2, 192'? sept. 16, 1930.

V electrically thereto.`

Patented Sept. 16, A1930 UNITED stares HENRYY BRACH'TnfoF CHICAGO, rLnrNors, ,AssrGNoR, BY rin-SNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro l `eternameN ELECTRIC CCMPANY, on CHrCAeo,` ILLINOIS, n CoRPoRATIoN or l1I.-

' 4minors A PATENT oFFlcE GRCUNDING'DEVICE Application le. February 2,11927.v ,Serial No. 165,281.

This finventionrelates generally to an electrical connection and more particularly to adeviceadapted for `use 1n grounding a conduit as well as af conductor enclosed therein.

It is the general object of the invention to provide such a. device lof vnew and improved convenient installation.

Anotherobjectj ofthe invention is to provide a groundingl device of simple construction adapted to be `mounted on a pipe conduit and to be secured effectively4 to a (groundf pipe, or as is generally' the case, a water pipe,

so` asI to resist vibration and to make efiicient Contact therewith.. Q

" AlQtheI-bject' of thezinvention ris topprovide such a device comprising a two-part.

tting, one Vpart being secured at each end cfa metallic clamping strap. Y -V Another object is to provide auniversal grounding device arranged to'iit several sizes of ground pipe and'which'may be adjusted tothe proper size before being applied so as to provide for ease and convenience in installation. 1

.f VA further object is to provide in a device of this character, efficient means for connecting a ground conductor mechanically. and

In pursuance `of the foregoing objectsI y aim to provide a device comprising a fitting having twol complementary parts which are secured to the voppositeends of a connecting land clampingstrap so that upon bending the strap around a ground pipethe said parts ,will register, the parts being of such form Fig. l.

scope of the appended claims.

Fig. 4 is a section along the lined-tV of Fig. 5 is aview ofthe device assembled ready for application to a ground pipe.

Fig. 6 is a section along `theline 6-6of HFig. 3. i constructionwhich permits of ready and" F ig. 7 is afragmental section similar to Fig. 3, of a modified form of 'the invention.

For purposes of disclosure'I have illustrated in the drawings andwill hereinafter describe in detail two embodiments ofthe invention,` withthe understanding that I do Anot intendto limit the` invention to the particular"'constructions vand arrangements shown, it being contemplated that various lchanges maybe `'made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and As illustrated in'Figs. lpto 6,'the exemplary lembodiment ofthe invention is disclosed'in conjunction with a ground `or water pipe G to which it is desired to connect vor ground a conduit C, and a-conductor C in the conduit;4 The grounding device consists generally-of a two-partV iitting comprising sections 1 and v2, a strap l3 secured therebetween V(Figs. 3 and 5), andmean's to'clamp the lsections of the fitting together when the device has been installed. y

The fitting sections 1,2, as illustrated herein, are complementaryin form, the part l having a tubular portion la at the conduit lend thereof, internally; threaded .to engage the UconduitC-` The remainder of the part l and -the part 2 are substantially semi-Cylindrical in form. A

The metallic strap?) is provided connecting the ittingfsections as illustrated most clearlyinFigs. 3 and 5. This strap, which is preferably of'hard copper, isarranged with itsv end portion 3? lying in a groove 4 formed in the fitting part 2, and with itsend 3b lying ina groove 5 in the kpart '1. The end 3b may be 'secured to the part l by'means of'a co'untersunk screw 6V and is preferably provided with'a trough-like portion 7 adjacent the conduit end of the fitting so that the end of the conductor C may be positioned therein. Generally, the conductor is solderedin the trough of the strap in a well known mansoY ner, but to obtain an effective mechanical and electrical connection between the conductor C and the strap 3, this trough portion of the strap is herein illustrated as fitted snugly into a deeper and narrower portion EL of the groove 5 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6) and a headed screw 8 is entered through an apertureV in the strap and into threaded engagement with the part 1. Thus b y looping the end of the l, conductor Varound the stem of the 'screw 8 between the head of the screw andthe bottom and side walls of the trough portion 7, the conductor may be clamped effectively therebetween. The sides 9 of the trough portion of the strap are supported by the walls 10 ofthe portion fof `the groove in the fitting and are thereby restrained from flaring out- :wardly and the conductor is thereby constrained under the head of the screw which spans the trough.

To secure the opposite end of the strap'to the fitting section 2 this end ofthe strap may beprovided with a series Vof spaced apertures llthrougli either of which a screw A12 may be entered into `engagement witha threaded hole in the fitting.

The strap 3 is arranged to :encircle .the

`,grounding pipe Gr, the apertures 11 being positioned so that the effective length of the .strap may be adjusted to itthe jdevice lto various sizes of pipe. Thus withthezfitting section properly secured to the-strap, Ithe fitting section 1 is secured to the end of the conduit C, and the conductor C connected to the strap, tlievfitting part 2imay be grasped bya workmanto serve as a handle and thereby facilitate the bending of the strap .about the grounding pipe. VThe two :sections of .the fitting may 'then be clamped together ywith the strap surroundingand in contact .with the pipe byineans including screws 13 which are preferablycarried on Vthe fitting section 2. These screws Ymaybe entered through apertures 14 in lugs 15.0n this part of the fitting and are arranged to engage :threaded apertures 16 in corresponding lugs lion the part 1. 'lhescrews-may be secured somewhat permanently to the part 2 by Ameans of fibre washers 18 on the screws' positioned in enlarged portions ofthe apertures 14 in the lugs 15.

VTo securethe device rigidly to the pipe Gr .and in effective contact'therewith, means is provided to insure an efficient clamping action between the strap 3 and the pipe and between the fitting and the pipe. rIhis means comprises opposed beveled or cani surfaces 19, 42O on the ground pipe endof the parts 1, 2, which surfaces are arranged to engage the pipe G so that when the clamping screws 13 aretiglitened to draw the parts 1 'and 2 'together the cam surfaces clamp against the pipe and tension the strap 3. The cam surfaces are preferably formed at the side edges of-the fittings and with grooves 21, 22, for

this part, they are automatically positioned In addition, the groove 4 in the fitting section 2 is made shallow adjacent the cam surfaces 19, so that the strap 3 will be clamped in contact with as'gi'eat a portion of theperiphery of the pipe as is possible. With the "screw 12 positioned against the inclined wall 4. of this groove the strain onithe screwfis `also relieved.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated:a'inodiedform'of the invention wherein the groove l5 -of `the fitting section 1 is of uniform depth andithe `strap portion 3b extends buta shortdistance beyond-the screw 6. The conductor Cmay beconnected directly to the iittingsection f1 by means such asa suitable lug ,soldered thereto andclainped between the head ofithe screw Sand the fitting.

From the foregoing it iis ,apparent that the invent-ion provides adevice which-isisim- :plein construction, extremely-rigidfand durable in use, and which may -be manipulated most conveniently during installation. The

Vseries of holes at oneendofithe strap 'permits i. yboth of the fitting parts to-be secured to the Vstrap before the device is installed and therebyprovides a device whichfis unitaryincharacter. With the part 1 Athreaded onto the end of a conduit and the conductor in the icon- 1 duit secured by means of :the screw L8, the

.part V2 provides a convenient head `to'grasp 'when `bending 'the strap around the pipe lGry,

and with the clamping scrcws'13'carriedron for yengagement with thethreaded apertures 16 in the fitting part 1. The simple-operation of^tightening these screws then clampsthe fitting and the strap/.effectively tothe ground pipe. Y The fitting and strap thereby serve to secure the `conduit C "effectively to the ground pipe G and to 'ground the conduit as well as the conductor.

I claim as my invention: 1. A device of the character described com prising two. complementary parts one of `which is arranged to be .threaded onto the end of a conduit, a metallic strap having its llO opposite ends secured one .to each .ofsaid -1125 parts and forming, when said parts areassembled, a loop. adapted to surround aground pipe, means to -elainp said parts together, and .means onsaid parts arranged to cam against such ground pipe to tighten said strap around the ground pipe by forcing said parts outwardly therefrom. v

2. A grounding device comprising a fitting having two substantially semi-cylindri cal sections, means on one section adapted for attachement to the end of a conduit, a metallic strap, means to secure one of said sections to one end of said strap, means to secure the other of said sections to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions on the other end of said strap, said sections being adapted to be installed with the strap looped around a ground pipe; means carried on. one section adapted to engage vthe other to clamp said sections together when assembled, and means on said sections arranged to abut such ground pipe and toA force said sections longitudinally outward from the ground pipe whereby to tension said strap and to secure the fitting rigidly thereto when the sections are clamped together. Y

3. A grounding device comprising a fitting formed of two complementary parts, one of which is adapted to be secured to the end of a conduit, a metallic strapV secured at its opposite ends to said parts, said parts having opposed beveled surfaces forming a V-notch, and means to clamp said parts together withv the strap forming a loop extending from one end thereof arranged to surround a ground pipe positioned in said Vnotch.

4. A device for connecting a conduit to a ground vpipe comprising a two-part fitting having one part adapted at one end of the fitting to be secured` to the end of a conduit, said parts at the other end of the iitting having laterally spaced and opposed beveled surfaces cooperating to form V-notches when the parts are assembled, and means to clamp said fitting to a ground pipe positioned in said V-notches.

5. A grounding device comprising, in combination, a member adapted to be threaded to a conduit and having a jaw arranged to abut a ground pipe, a metallic strap for encircling the ground pipe, one end of said strap being secured to' sald member, means on said member adapted electrically to connect said strap to a wire in the conduit, a second member secured to the other end of said strap and having a jaw arranged to abut the ground pipe and means for drawing said members together, said last mentioned means causing a tightening of the strap by drawing its ends together and by closing to be installed with the strap looped around a ground pipe and with the end of one section fulcrumed on the other section to permit a pivotal movement of one relative to the other, means carried on one section adapted to engage the other to draw said sections together when assembled, and means on said sections arranged to abut such ground pipe and to force said sections longitudinally outward from the ground pipe and thereby tension said strap. n

7 A grounding device comprising, in `combination, a member having its outer end adapted to be secured to a conduit, a metallic' strap having'one of its ends attached to the inner end of said member and adapted to surround a ground pipe, a second member attached at its inner end to the other end of said strap and having its outer end ulcrumed on the outer end of said first member, means for drawing the inner ends of said members together, and spaced beveled surfaces formed onv the inner end of each of said members cooperating to form V-notches and adapted to abut directly against the ground pipe at spaced points on each member longitudinally oi' the ground pipe to hold the device rigid with the ground pipe when the strap is tightened. i

8. In a grounding device, the combination of two complementary members having beveled inner ends which are adapted to abut against a ground pipe, the outer end of the y first of said members being adapted to be securedto the end of a conduit, a metallic strap for surrounding the ground pipe and having its ends attached, one adjacent the inner end of each member, and means intermediate their ends for clamping said members together, said second member having its outer end fulcrumed on said irst member and its inner end spaced from said first member to permit the inner end to be drawn toward the first member by the clamping means to cause said beveled ends to force the'device longitudinally outward to tighten the strap.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afxed my signature. HENRY BRACHTL.

said jaws against the ground pipe to force Y said members outwardly from the pipe.

6. A grounding device comprising a iitting having two substantially semi-cylindrical sections, means on one section adapted for attachment to the endof a conduit, a metallic strap, means to secure one of said sections to one end of said strap, means to secure the other of said sectionsto the other end of said strap, said sections being adapted 

